Transcript The Roman Calendar

The Roman Calendar
July/August
The Roman Calendar
• Just as private religion had regular
observances on a daily/annual basis, and
irregular observances during crisis and
exceptional events, so did the Roman
State.
• From this grew the CALENDAR.
July (Iulius)
• July is the second of the summer months
• In July there are the Dog Days – which are
the hottest days of the year
• Julius Caesar reformed the Roman
calendar (hence the Julian calendar) in 46
BC. In the process, he renamed this
month after himself.
July
•
July 4 – Festival of Pax July 5 – Poplifugia to Jupiter July 6 – Games of
Apollo begin July 7 – Nonae Caprotinae to Juno July 8 – Festival of Juno,
Games of Apollo continue July 9 – Games of Apollo continue July 10 –
Games of Apollo continue July 11 – Games of Apollo continue July 12
– Games of Apollo continue July 13 – Last day of Games of
Apollo July 19 – Lucaria to commemorate sack of Rome by the Gauls and
the subsequent destruction of the Gallic army, festival of Venus July 21 –
Lucaria to commemorate sack of Rome by the Gauls and the subsequent
destruction of the Gallic army July 23 – Neptunalia to Neptune July 25 –
Furrinalia to Furrina
Ludi Apollinares
• The weeks of 6 – 13 saw games held in
honour of Apollo. These were mostly
dramatic performances and gladiatorial
combats and had little religious connection
with the God
Neptunalia
• Held on the 23 day of July.
• Dedicated in his capacity as the god of
fresh-water springs in the heat of summer.
August (Augustus)
• August 1 – Festival of Ceres August 9 – Festival of Sol
Indigis August 10 – Festival of Ops August 12 – Festival of
Hercules August 13 – Vertumnalia to Vertumnus, Festival of
Diana August 15 – Festival of Diana August 17 – Portunalia
to Portunes, Tibernalia to Tiberinus August 19 – Vinalia to
Jupiter, Vinalia Rustica to Venus August 21 – Consualia to
Consus August 23 – Vulcanalia to Vulcan, festival of
Juturna August 24 – Festival of Ceres August 25 –
Opiconsivia to Ops Consivia August 27 – Volturnalia to
Volturnus
Hercules
• The Greek hero had long been accepted
into Roman culture because of the story
that he had slain a monster in Cacus on
the site long before it existed.
• He was a popular hero,
as he was the original
macho male (woman
were not allowed to go)
Hercules
• And popular as an unscrupulous thief
• Business men would make very large
donations to his cult which would pay for
these festivals.
Diana
• On the traditional anniversary of the
beginning of her worship
• Originally her worship symbolised the
unification of Romans & Latins under King
Servius Tullius.
Diana
• By Augustus’ time, her cult provided a
summer holiday for SLAVES
• One of the very few days they had off
work!
Consualia
• In hounor of the God Consus, held on the
21st day
• His shrine lay in the Circus Maximus and
his day saw offerings of grain and horse
races
Volcanus
• Was the hottest time of the year, and was
the day for the feast of Vulcan
• The god of destructive fire at the time
when his fires were most feared